Addis Ababa, Ethiopia – the workshop organised by the Global Partnership launched the Enhanced Effectiveness (GPEDC) at Country Level Pilot Workshop in 22-23 February 2018 was successful in identifying common issues relevant to countries primarily linked to the “unfinished business”. The workshop served as the official launch of the country pilots selected in Strategic Output 1 of GPEDC’s 2017-2018 Work Programme.
The workshop brought together GPEDC stakeholders from the ten pilot countries in an effort to create a common understanding of what should be achieved in the country pilot studies.
The country pilots will be conducted in Bangladesh, Cambodia, El Salvador, Georgia, Laos, Kenya, Malawi, Mexico, Rwanda and Uganda and will look at how to increase effectiveness at country level and to demonstrate good practices of effective development cooperation. The Country Pilot Case Studies will provide country experiences as evidence on how to successfully implement the effective principles, while also looking at areas where challenges persist. This evidence will become part of a Global Compendium of country experiences.
CSO representatives from Rwanda, Malawi, Mexico, Uganda, Cambodia, Laos, Georgia, and Bangladesh including a representative from the CPDE Global Secretariat participated in the said workshop.
CPDE presented as co-lead in the Working Group on Unlocking the Potential of Effectiveness and Updated Monitoring for Agenda 2030 and as resource for ways to implement effective principles at the country level.
The Working Group on Unlocking the Potential of Effectiveness, under the leadership of Bangladesh and the CPDE developed a concept to operationalise four key contributions under the GPEDC Work Programme Strategic Output 2. Specific deliverables for the Working Group included: 1) collecting evidence on effectiveness of development co-operation; 2) guiding the design and supporting the production of analytical work to understand solutions to effectiveness challenges; 3) informing the design of dialogues on effectiveness; and 4) proposing a Global Action Plan to address challenges faced in implementing effectiveness principles
Two sub-working groups were created to take forward different aspects of work related to the Global Action Plan. The first group is tasked with mapping solutions to address effectiveness challenges. The second group is tasked with further conceptualising the Global Action Plan.
This work is very much interlinked with the work to be done here and in the future on Country Level Implementation and the Country Pilot Studies will feed directly into the evidence mapping and the strategic outputs and deliverables of the Work Stream.
On country-level implementation, CPDE operationalises its mandate through the programme Sustaining Civil Society Advocacy on Effective Development Cooperation.
Country-level work of CSOs is particularly important for ensuring that specific country context determines development priorities, initiatives and actions of all actors in the country, including CSOs. The country-level is also where impacts of CSO work is most evident in the lives and conditions of the poor and marginalised. Governments are also shaping legal, regulatory and policy regimes affecting CSOs as development actors at this level. Lastly, it is where multi-stakeholder dialogues happen where CSO participation and citizens’ inputs are most crucial.
CPDE has developed means to guide the implementation of this country focus. Platform processes were designed to help constituencies incorporate country work in their plans. Efforts in increasing capacities for mobilisation, awareness-raising, and monitoring of country-level CSOs are underway through trainings, forums, and other related exercises. CPDE has also adopted the Implementing Country Focus document to guide the responsibilities, accountabilities, and ways of working for country work.
CPDE’s support for country-level work seeks to 1) Establish linkages and translation of CPDE advocacy priorities in resonance to constituency issues, most especially at the country level; 2) Provide spaces for CSOs to forge multi-sectoral alliances and partnerships that will address national issues; 3) Facilitate multi-stakeholder dialogues aimed at contributing to the universal application of EDC principles and the implementation of the sustainable development goals at the country-level, and; 4) Advocate for the institutionalised participation of CSOs in official processes and spaces to push for civil society agenda in development
Three priority lines were identified to achieve these objectives:
Core Business: Unfinished EDC commitments and Agenda 2030
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Initiatives that will aim at continuing the discussion and monitoring the fulfillment of unfinished EDC commitments.
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Actions that will support efforts aimed at better public understanding, planning, and implementation of Agenda 2030 in the country.
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Actions that will tackle country issues based on the EDC/ A2030/ Human Rights-Based Approach to Development framework.
Country compacts for CSO Development Effectiveness
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Actions that will result in country compacts for CSO Development Effectiveness. A country compact is an agreement negotiated by CSOs who pledge to implement commitments made on the issue of development effectiveness.
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Actions that will advance, promote and implement the Istanbul Principles on CSO Development Effectiveness
Advocacy on CSO Enabling Environment
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Initiatives that will focus on the linkages between CSO enabling environment issues and maximising efforts by various CSOs to contribute to Agenda 2030 and the country priorities for SDGs
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Actions that will advance the calls for an enabling environment for civil society, consistent with the International Framework on CSO Development Effectiveness, HRBA, Busan Partnership Document and other related documents.
Depending on capacities and priorities of CSOs, CPDE will roll out activities in 45 countries which may include researches, CSO consultation/ trainings/ seminars, public forums, multi-stakeholder dialogues/ roundtable discussions, and other initiatives deemed appropriate with the country context..